Thursday, January 24, 2008

since Christmas....

At the park in January spring

we've been fairly busy. We enjoyed "spring" in early January, forgetting the reality of Chicago winter for a few days (for example it's -3 right now). Ella began her Twinkle Stars gymnastics class and loves to do her front rolls, hang/swing like a monkey on the bars and say "Tada". She's been helping me bake alot, painting alot, and whining and acting like a baby alot. We think she's experiencing the ''big sister" syndrome early......it's lovely.



Cousin Josh stayed with us for a few days while he did some job-shadowing here in the city that David set-up for him. We took him out for Thai food one night and he rode the train and the bus by himself just fine! See Aunt Sue, you can do it too! Come visit us! We won't even make you take the train or bus by yourself!




Also, we finally found Gabriella's electronic 18 week ultrasound picture (the hard copies are packed away in storage) to compare with this baby. Look at how strikingly similar their profiles are!

Gabriella:

"Our baby" (As Ella so sweetly calls it):

photo coming soon--can't get it to work right now......

We also just saw our friends the Hanson's this past weekend and had a great time. David said he will blog about it (let's not all hold our breath now, but we'll see)...

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Friday, January 18, 2008

Happy Holidays

So it's time for Holiday catch-up before Valentine's Day arrives....Also, just a warning, I'm sure the lag in posts will get worse before it gets better with less than three months until baby number 2 arrives!

Our first Christmas ever in Chicago was great! No staying up till all hours trying to fit presents into suitcases, no long security lines with a toddler, no flight delays due to bad weather...........Just the three of us setting out cookies and milk for Santa, David assembling an easel after Ella was in her bad fast asleep, waking leisurely with our good sleeper around 8:45 a.m. Ella enjoyed stockings and the easel until after breakfast (the traditional Earnhart biscuits and sausage gravy--only Ella and I decided to use Christmas cookie cutters to cut out the biscuits--fun!) and then with full stomachs we opened presents. Later that evening our friends the Hale's & the San Juan's joined us for a great Christmas dinner. With 4 toddlers and a newborn along with the adults we had a very full house--and lots of fun!

Yes, yes, of course we missed not being with other family members. But remember how much easier/cheaper it is to travel without children? Maybe you will come to visit us sometime???? (Actually Nana wins that one--she'll be here in two weeks for a long weekend). But how about you St. Louis folk that can DRIVE here?? Come and see us, won't you?!

Here's some photos to fill in the rest. Another post to catch you up since Christmas coming soon!


Helping Papa open his locket keychain watch
First sight of her very own pink guitar (she has gone in the music store
each week after class for about 6 months now to play the pink guitar)
Trying it out
The "baby Bjorn" for dolls

"Sleeping" in her new candy cane jammies from Santa
Just woke up and found her stocking
"What's inside?!"
Doing the "Christmas Dance"
Trying out the new easel
Ella's "pearls" from "our baby"
and Ella's gift to "our baby"--the bib and booties.

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